Page 32 • March 26, 2014 • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT GUIDE
Company Wrench Adds Auto Dismantler to Product Line The new Kobelco SK210 auto dismantling machine dismantles vehicles, engines and complex parts safely and efficiently. This machine can separate the tiniest parts and smallest quantity of metals for recycling and precision sorting, according to the manufacturer. Saving Big Money on Dismantling According to Kobelco, the SK210 auto dismantler can handle four times the vehicle dismantling capacity compared to hand dismantling. For engine dismantling the SK210 makes simple tasks of taking apart engines, extracting parts, breaking up engine block, and sorting components. This simplicity can increase speed ten times that of hand dismantling. A comparative study shows that one operative working by hand produces 3 tons in one day of engine dismantling, while the SK210 can produce 30 tons in the same time. Dismantling More Complex Parts The auto dismantler also dismantles and separates complex parts of various metals. All sorts of complex machinery can be disman-
tled for disposal. The list includes agricultural machinery, motorbikes and bicycles, home appliances such as air conditioners, refrigerators and washing machines, and even vending machines, office equipment, residential facilities and construction rubble. Technical Advances The new SK210D multi-dismantling machine has seen constant upgrades with new technology being introduced. The SK210D uses Kobelco’s clamp arm, which has a large clamp arm for firmly holding large items and is fitted with grips and teeth to grasp hold of smaller objects for cutting. The SK210D also has fine control technology allowing swift point-perfect positioning, advanced energy-saving technologies that lower fuel consumption, new spacious high strength cab design, and two specialized nibblers for different dismantling tasks. (This story also can be found on Construction Equipment Guide’s Web site at www.constructionequipmentguide.com.)
Joe Trinacria
Winners & Losers of NFL Free Agency The annual free agency period of the National Football League blows all other professional sports away, and it’s not even close. A flurry of activity is always guaranteed, with well-known heroes of the gridiron regularly changing teams and altering the competitive landscape of the NFL. It’s a great leadup to the NFL Draft, which in turn gets fans excited about training camps, and then next thing you know it’s time for the regular season to begin. As the most popular sport in America, the NFL never stops. My only gripe with NFL free agency is the practice of teams announcing that they are seeking to trade a certain player, and if they can’t find a suitable deal, they will release said player. This always struck me as an odd tactic, and the rest of the league responds in the way that I would myself — offer the worst deal imaginable and wait for the player’s immediate release. This offseason, players like Pro Bowl
cornerback Darrelle Revis and wide receiver Steve Smith received this treatment from their former teams (Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers) before being given their walking papers. In an unusual twist, the Philadelphia Eagles took the bait of the New Orleans Saints and ended up trading a 5th Round pick for dynamic running back Darren Sproles before his release. Revis, the consensus top cover cornerback in the league, signed a one-year $12 million dollar deal with the New England Patriots following his release. At 28 years old, Revis still has plenty left in the tank and should be a valuable addition to the New England defense. Coming off an ACL injury suffered in Week 2 of the 2012 season, Revis had a productive stint last year in Tampa Bay and is poised to be even better for the Patriots after another year following his surgery. Smith, who has been a career Panther since he entered the NFL in 2001,
signed a three-year $11.5 million dollar contract with the Baltimore Ravens. For now, I would consider this deal a winning move by the Ravens, although it has more uncertainty than Revis’ pact with New England. Smith is coming off a down year, in which he saw his receiving yards dip to only 745 in 2013. At 34, Ravens fan should have some concern whether or not this was an anomaly or more of a glimpse into their future. The most active team in free agency was the Denver Broncos, who clearly had an issue with their defense that got torched by Seattle in Super Bowl XLVIII. Denver signed Pro Bowl cornerback Aqib Talib and one of the most feared pass-rushers in the game, DeMarcus Ware. To top it off, they improved their secondary further by signing former Cleveland Browns safety TJ Ward. Broncos general manager and executive vice president John Elway must feel that the window of opportunity for his team is closing with quarterback Peyton Man-
ning getting even older each year, and they went for broke this offseason. Because of their prior extravagant contracts given to quarterback Tony Romo and tight end Jason Witten, Dallas was forced to cut ties with the aforementioned Ware and defensive end Jason Hatcher. Hatcher was the Cowboys’ most productive lineman last year, and his presence will sorely be missed. Although I’m still lukewarm on the Steve Smith deal for Baltimore, it was a mistake for Carolina to let him go. The Panthers also lost fellow wide receiver/return specialist Ted Ginn Jr. to the Arizona Cardinals, which cripples Carolina’s receiving corps. The Panthers were a surprise playoff team last year, capturing the NFC South after a 7-9 season the year before. Because of their slotting, it will be hard for Carolina to replicate the production of Smith and Ginn through the draft, however this year is primed to be full of capable wide receiver talent coming out of college.